1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to positioning and stabilizing devices for fractured limbs, and, more particularly, to a portable brace used for stabilizing an injured extremity to promote healing
2. Background of the Invention
In the field of orthopedic surgery, and especially those fields dealing specifically with injuries to extremities (i.e., fractured bones in the legs or arms, etc.), there is a need for stabilization of the injured extremity for healing purposes. Because nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue and muscles lie in close proximity to bones, these structures can be injured by the jagged ends of the bones if the bones are broken or fractured. The fractured edges of the broken bone, when torqued, dig into the surrounding tissue structures causing trauma or further injury and pain and, likewise, further edema (swelling) and hematoma (blood clotting).
To treat fractured bones after reduction or setting of the fracture, a cast is normally applied to the fractured extremity as a means of stabilizing the fractured ends so that new bone tissue can eventually bridge between the ends creating a united bone. In the meantime, a fracture heals slowly, going through a process of hematoma (clot) formation followed by granulation tissue, the differentiation of fibrous tissue into fibrocartilage and the growth of bone cells into this tissue type, calcification, and remodeling of the bone until a firm mature bone is formed.
However, the study of anatomy of the musculoskeletal system shows that the entire system is connected. Muscles attach under the cast. Thus, varying degrees of internal and external rotation are still possible within a cast extremity. Thus, there is a need to stabilize the cast extremity in order to maintain it in a neutral position.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the cast leg 26 is resting on a flat surface 30, there is an inherent tendency for the thigh to externally rotate slightly. The movement, indicated by arrows 31, is further aggravated by the intrinsic weight of the cast and the ovoid-like shape of the leg. The extra degree of rotation of the cast portion of the extremity may pull the two fractured bone pieces out of alignment. This is especially painful during the early stages of healing when there is much edema and hematoma impinging on the nerves.
Furthermore, with time, muscles which are not actively employed in the manner they normally are employed, tend to atrophy. This atrophy or shrinking of muscles enclosed within a cast creates a space between the outer skin surface and inner cast surface permitting an additional risk of twisting of the extremity within the cast.